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To Migrate or Install WSUS on new server?

Answered To Migrate or Install WSUS on new server?

  • Friday, February 08, 2013 2:33 AM
     
     
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    We run a Windows Server 2008 incorporating WSUS 3.1 which serves around 50 desktop PCs. This server is about to be de-commisioned for a new Windows Server 2008 R2.

    The new server is already on the domain.

    I exercised the Migrating WSUS guide but encountered many problems and was not able to succesfully migrate WSUS to the new server.

    I'm considering a straight forward approach to just install WSUS on the new server and disregard migrating anything across from the old server. I don't mind if this requires downloading a bunch of binaries, I just want it to work. The size of the binaries in the existing WSUS server is huge, around 250GB, so I figure it makes sense to create a fresh install anyway.

    The main issue I can see is configuring the client to identify the new server as the WSUS service. Am I able to change the WSUS identity to the new server in a similar, if not identical approach as described in the Change the WSUS server identity section of the Migrating WSUS guide?

    Regards

    Neil

     

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  • Friday, February 08, 2013 9:58 AM
     
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    The main issue I can see is configuring the client to identify the new server as the WSUS service. Am I able to change the WSUS identity to the new server in a similar, if not identical approach as described in the Change the WSUS server identity section of the Migrating WSUS guide?

    for the clients to reconfigure to your new server, refer: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee822827(v=ws.10).aspx#BKMK_PointClients

    Don
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  • Saturday, February 09, 2013 12:10 AM
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    We run a Windows Server 2008 incorporating WSUS 3.1

    I exercised the Migrating WSUS guide but encountered many problems and was not able to succesfully migrate WSUS to the new server.

    To be expected, as you cannot migrate a WSUS SP1 server to a WSUS SP2 existence on Windows Server 2008 R2. Also that "Migrating WSUS" guide is a major headache, and probably doesn't even note that you cannot migrate a 3.1 server to 3.2 (because it was written assuming that 3.2 was already installed).

    I'm considering a straight forward approach to just install WSUS on the new server and disregard migrating anything across from the old server.

    Depending on the state of the original server (we know from the OS and SP-level of WSUS that it was implemented sometime between Spring 2008 and Fall 2009, making it over three years old), it might be beneficial to start from scratch.

    On the other hand, depending on the configuration of your target groups and approvals, starting from scratch could be a very time consuming exercise.

    Then again, preparing your existing server for replication to a new server could take longer than simply configuring the new server.

    The size of the binaries in the existing WSUS server is huge, around 250GB

    So.. a couple of observations here... first, unless this is a multi-language server and/or you enabled Express Installation Files -- 250GB is about 25x the file store that's actually needed on a typical single-language WSUS server, but it is consistent with a WSUS server running on auto-pilot for three and a half years, so it might actually make sense to build a new server and download the =10GB= of files that you actually need rather than trying to copy =250GB= of files across the network.

    Alternatively, you could [a] do some maintenance on the existing server, install Service Pack 2, and then simply replicate it to the new server, but as noted, that may actually take longer than building and configuring a new installation from scratch.

    The main issue I can see is configuring the client to identify the new server as the WSUS service.

    This is trivial. Update the URLs in the GPO(s) and you're done.

    Am I able to change the WSUS identity to the new server in a similar, if not identical approach as described in the Change the WSUS server identity section of the Migrating WSUS guide?

    Actually.. I would invite you to run as far away as possible from that migration guide -- it's probably a primary contributing factor as to why you had so many issues (directly related to trying to migrate a v3.1 server to a v3.2 installation).

    Lawrence Garvin, M.S., MCITP:EA, MCDBA, MCSA
    SolarWinds Head Geek
    Microsoft MVP - Software Distribution (2005-2013)
    My MVP Profile: http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/Lawrence.Garvin
    The views expressed on this post are mine and do not necessarily reflect the views of SolarWinds.